Switch-operator.



PATENTED 300T. so, 1906.

N. T. GOULD. SWITCH OPERATOR. APPLICATION FILED APR. 27. 1906.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NEwToN THoMAs ooULuoF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA. Assionoa oF ONE-HALF ToGUSTAV F. DORMAN AND RUDOLF E. FUCHS, or sAoRA- MENTO, CALIFORNIA.

SWITCH-OPERATOR.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 30, 1906.

Application filed April 2'], 1906. Serial No. 314,058-

,To all whom, it may. concern:

Be it known that I, NEWTON THoMAs GOULD, a citizeno'f the United States,residing at Sacramento, in the county of Sacramento, State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Switch-Operator, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for operating the switch-points ofrailway-tracks, more articularly of street-railway tracks and it as forits objects to provide a simplyconstructed and efiicient device for thepurpose under the control of the motorman or other attendant on themoving car.

With this and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novelfeatures of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters,is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention capable ofcarrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that theinvention is not necess'arily limited thereto, as various changes in theshape, proportions, and general assemblage of the vparts may be resortedto without departing from the principle of the inventionv or sacrificingany of its advantages.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a part of my inventioncombined with streetcar tracks and with a switch-point, showing theimproved device in position in the center of the track adapted to shuntrolling-stock to either of said tracks. Fig. 2 is a vertical section ofthe switch-controller or tappet in position on a car and part of arailway-car on which the switch-controller or tappet as part of myinvention is mounted.

In the improved device is comprised two general ortlons, one portionlocated within the roa -bed of the track and coupled to the switch-pointand another portion connected to the car and adapted for operation bythe motorman or other attendant to actuate the switchoint. a

In Flg. 1 the tracks ac and-1' r and the switch-point b, pivoted at p,are of the usual construction, and the point-operating portion of thedevice consists of a switch-rail c, disposed longitudinally of the railsa a, and

upon a plate at base It, to which it is pivoted at 'i. The free end ofswitch-rail c is coupled switch-point b at g, the rod e, attached to theswitch-point at g and to the switch-rail at f,

operating beneathv the plate or base. it. .s s ows an open s ace inplate h to allow free operation of r0 6 and switch-rail 0. Disposed atacute angles to switch-rail c are the guide-rails d d The guide-rails dd, which are secured to the base h, are so disposed at acute angles toswitch-rail c that when the pulley 7c of the tappet j in Fig. 2 isengaged etween the guide-rail d and the switch-rail c the switch-point bwill be held open and the car will be shunted to the left, and whenengaged between the guide-rail d and the switch-rail 0 switchoint b willbe closed and the car will go straight ahead. By this mechtransverselyby a rod e to the free end of the anisrn and arrangement it is obviousthat the switch-point may be operated by engaging the tap et of theswitch-controller on one side or t e other of switch-rail c.

The portion of my invention attached to the car A, as shown in Fig. 2,consists of the sleeve or pocket frame n, attached to and extendinthrough the floor B of a car, tappet 3' set bac of fender E operating insleeve n and supported by a hinge-jointed rod m. On the upper end of thetappet is a pedal-plate 0, and helical spring Z surrounds the tappet andis impinged against the under side of the pedal-plate 0 and against'theupper side of sleeve it. To the lower end of tappet i is suspended, apulley k of such construction and adjustment as to engage theswitch-rail c and ulde-rails d d and operate the switch-point asdesired. I

The operation and advantages of my invention are, owing to the extremesimplicity of its construction, readily understood and a preciated bythose skilled in the art to w ich it pertains.

Fig.2 shows roughly the car A upon the track a approaching theswitch-point b. The motorman or operator places his foot u on theedal-plate 0 of the tappet and the u ley 7c of the switch-controller isinstantiy engaged between guard-rail d and switch-rail c or theguard-rail d and the switch-rail c, as is desired, and the switch-pointb will be set so as to shunt the car to the tracks 1" r or straightahead on the track a a by the time the wheels D of the car shall havereached the switchpoint I). The operation of this device and improvementin switch-operators is inevitable, and when the switch-controller ortappet is engaged with the switch-rail c the switchpoint I) must be setand that without stopping the car.

It will be noted that on each car must be placed fourswitch-controllers, two at either end of the car or one controller soadjusted that it may be shifted to the right or to the left sufficientlyto place it-in position so as to engage the switch-rail. on the properside.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire tosecure byLetters Patent In combination, a switch-point, a base having an openingtherethrough, a switchrail pivoted to the up er surface thereof, a

connection between t e switch-point and hand, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses, this 18th day of April, 1906.

NEWTON THOMAS GOULD.

Witnesses:

MILTON MORE REMINTQN, WILLIAM SUNDERLAND HOWE.

